Rams sign veteran tackle Steussie

BY JIM THOMAS
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Friday, Apr. 14 2006

The Rams added another ingredient to their offensive depth chart, signing
veteran tackle Todd Steussie to a free-agent contract. Contract details werenít
immediately available.
Steussie, 35, is a veteran of 12 NFL seasons, spending his first seven years
with Minnesota, followed by three in Carolina, and two in Tampa Bay.
He is a two-time Pro Bowler (1997 and í98) who has played 190 NFL
regular-season games, including 164 starts.
But he hasnít been a full-time starter since 2003, and didnít start in any of
his 15 games last season for the Buccaneers, playing primarily on special teams.
In St. Louis, Steussie will serve as the teamís third offensive tackle, backing
up starters Orlando Pace and Alex Barron.
He has started at both right and left tackle during his NFL career.

Re: Rams sign veteran tackle Steussie

Nobody's asking him to start. He'll be a fine fall-back...or at least better than Grant Williams. I like it.

"Before the gates of excellence the high gods have placed sweat; long is the road thereto and rough and steep at first; but when the heights are reached, then there is ease, though grievously hard in the winning." --- Hesiod

Re: Rams sign veteran tackle Steussie

Yeah, it was him. I just did some checking online. The good news is that he has missed only one game in his entire career, but yeah, he had at least 11 prescriptions for testosterone filled in an eight month period, including right before the Super Bowl. I don't think he was ever charged with anything or tested positive, but the prescriptions are documented.

"You got to have depth," coach Scott Linehan said Friday. "He backs up our tackle spots, but the way I look at it, he can back up four spots. He played some guard for Paul Boudreau at Carolina, and he played a little guard at Tampa, too."

Boudreau is the Rams' new offensive line coach.

Steussie, 35, is a veteran of 12 NFL seasons, spending his first seven years with Minnesota, followed by three in Carolina and two in Tampa Bay. He is a two-time Pro Bowler (1997 and '98) and has played 190 NFL regular-season games, including 164 starts. He hasn't been a full-time starter since 2003 and didn't start any of his 15 games last season for the Buccaneers, playing primarily on special teams.

In St. Louis, Steussie will serve as the team's third offensive tackle, backing up starters Orlando Pace and Alex Barron. He has started at both right and left tackle during his NFL career. But as Linehan mentioned, he will be available to fill in at guard as well.

"One thing about having veterans in the line, they don't need a lot of (practice) reps because they've played," Linehan said. "You've got a guy like (Claude) Terrell playing left guard. Well, if for some reason something happened to him. Or he wasn't playing well. Or you weren't happy with where he was. You can put a guy like Todd in there right away, and he's going to basically be like Adam (Timmerman) or Andy (McCollum).

"And if something - God forbid - ever happened to Orlando, I'm sure Barron could move over there (to left tackle), and Todd would probably fit in better (at right tackle)."

More knee surgery for Marshall Faulk

Running back Marshall Faulk has not been cleared to participate in next weekend's minicamp after having arthroscopic surgery on both knees. It has become almost an offseason ritual for Faulk to have cleanup work done on one or both knees.

"I think he had some loose bodies that needed to be cleaned out," Linehan said. "Nothing serious. The older you get, the more time it takes just to kind of get them back to 100 percent. You've got to manage them. You can't take every (practice) snap like you used to. And the offseason's different. It's like you've got to heal up first."

Linehan said he hasn't talked to Faulk recently, but he still expects him to return for his 13th NFL season.

Attendance has been excellent for the team's offseason conditioning program, which just concluded its fourth week. But one notable exception has been tight end Brandon Manumaleuna, who as usual, is spending most of his offseason on the West Coast. Linehan said Manumaleuna is expected to participate in next weekend's minicamp.

"The word is, he'll be here the first part of next week," Linehan said.

Linehan obviously would like Manumaleuna training in St. Louis with the rest of the club. But since the offseason conditioning program technically is "voluntary," Linehan can't really force the issue.

"I've talked to him," Linehan said. "The bottom line is, this is voluntary every year. You can't make a player do it. I'm very careful about making sure we adhere to that. But there is a standard that we've got to make sure we hold our players to. ... Our job is to change the culture of the team. And if you're not here, it's hard to sell that. Obviously, he hasn't been here, but he's going to be. I would hope it would be better from here on out, once he gets here."

Re: Rams sign veteran tackle Steussie

If only he was younger, I would have been happier.... how long do offensive lineman stay in the NFL? --RF4ever

Good question, RF4ever. It is difficult to say, however, what the playing span of NFL players is unless you look at it from an 'average' perspective from within so many players in every team throughout decade after decade (a calculator is a must).

As for Steussie, at 35, he seems to be the resilient type, tough, rugged, and just plain durable. Of importance to a player like him is the role he would have at this stage of his career with the Rams, and that is, "a high level of play with a limited role", i.e., a good, reliable reserve, a good, reliable backup. His tremendous amount of experience is a valuable asset, perhaps his best.

Don't be dismayed or fooled by the age factor.

Sure, age is important but not always critical. In fact, two of our current OL starters are well in their mid-30s: G Adam Timmerman, 35 and, C Andy McCollum, 36. They are high (very high) milleage motors, overhauled, repaired and still in good service.

As your name implies, some players of rare endurance are active "4ever". Our best example of men of steel is the great HOF Jackie Slater -- played as a STARTER and a top-notch OT for an incredible 20 years, all solid, all with the same team, ours! Retired at age 41.

Other pro football rarities, shared with you as a friendly 'FYI' [keep in mind that OLinemen, as do DLinemen, play a more brutal and physical game in the trenches than the rest of the team]:

-- Tom Mack: another HOF in our Rams illustrious history; solid, excellent at STARTING G with us since he was a rookie in 1966 until age 35, never missed a game!
-- Merlin Olsen, also in HOF; STARTED DT with us since his rookie year in 1962, then named to the Pro Bowl in each of his subsequent years, a total of 15 solid seasons: retired at 36, having played magnificent and strong in over 200 games, most of them in a row. One of the all-time best in the NFL.
-- Jim Otto: 15 solid years at center with the Raiders, left at age 36.
-- John Hannah, G with NE: 13 solid years.
-- Anthony MuŮoz, T, Bengals: 13 solid years.
-- The legendary George Blanda, QB, PK, Bears, Colts, Oilers, Raiders: played until age 48 (that's no typo).
-- Darrell Green, CB with Redskins: 20 solid seasons, finished career at 42.
-- Aeneas Williams, a great DB w/Cardinals and Rams: 13 solid years, to age 36.

It's also true, nevertheless, that just because some NFL players play until they're walking with a cane does NOT necessarily mean that their latest performance is productive or efficient. Veterans Sean Landetta, punter, and Chris Chandler, QB, among others, have recently left MUCH to be desired, to put it mildly.

I only hope that our Rams OL will play healthy this season and that its depth will be needed mainly to rotate schemes and strategies, including OT Todd Steussie.